Todd Pletcher
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-GP, $60K, Msw, 2yo, 4 1/2f, 1:35p.m. Known for his prowess with early 2-year-olds, trainer Wesley Ward sends out the first runner by champion and GI Kentucky Derby hero Nyquist in BREAKTHROUGH. Purchased for $330,000 at FTKJUL, the dark bay is a half-brother to SW & MGISP Red Vine (Candy Ride {Arg}) and his dam is a half to MGSW Fort Prado (El Prado {Ire}). He enters this unveiling off a bullet three panels on the turf at Palm Meadows in :36 1/5 (1/8) May...
The pickings are reasonably slim during this period of virus-restricted racing, but horses carrying the silks of Aron Wellman's Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners have prospered in recent weeks at Oaklawn Park, with placings in some of the tracks major stakes events. The suddenly fragmented Racing Festival of the South kicked off Apr. 18 with the running of the GIII Count Fleet Sprint H., won for the third time by Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect), and the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 18. Eclipse's Point of Honor (Curlin), wide-trip winner of the GII Black-Eyed...
St Elias Stable's lightly raced Dr Post (Quality Road) stamped himself as a sophomore to watch Saturday after securing a first stakes score despite tough trip in Gulfstream's Unbridled S. Fourth at 1-2 odds at Belmont way back in July of 2019 behind subsequent GSW/GISP Green Light Go (Hard Spun) and SW/GSP Another Miracle (American Pharoah), the $400,000 Keeneland September yearling resurfaced to score here Mar. 29 while earning a strong Beyer Speed Figure of 94. He was backed down to even-money favoritism this time over GIII Gotham S. third...
8th-Gulfstream, $39,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 4-24, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.00, fm. EVE OF WAR (f, 3, Declaration of War--Special Thanks, by Broken Vow), sent off at 5-2 for her turf and route debut, held the advantage all the way around at to mark her return to the winner's circle Gulfstream. Cleanly away, the chestnut assumed a narrow advantage over New Day Dawning (Medaglia d'Oro), who was prompted by Secret Stash (Mukhadram {GB}) and Sky Snow (Lemon Drop Kid). Still in front through a half in :47.84, the Todd...
Even Richard Wagner would have struggled to make anything of this particular "ring cycle". In four starts, Eight Rings (Empire Maker) has so far abruptly alternated the full works--strings, horns, kettle drums--with a timid clink of the triangle. As such, he certainly can't afford to break the cycle when surfacing for the first time since his Breeders' Cup bust in the Bachelor S. at Oaklawn Saturday. Dropping in grade and distance, in fact, he needs to produce the dominant sophomore performance of a day that also features a new stakes...
5th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo, 7ff, 2:46 p.m. ET Shadwell Stables' ASHIHAM (Tapit), an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling, debuts for trainer Todd Pletcher after finishing an even fourth in his career bow for Kiaran McLaughlin going six furlongs at the Hallandale oval Feb. 29. The chestnut is out of Wine Princess (Ghostzapper), a graded stakes winning daughter of Hall of Famer Azeri (Jade Hunter). At Pletcher's Palm Beach Downs training base, the May foal worked five furlongs in 1:00 3/5 Apr. 18. Jockey Luis Saez, whose book is now managed by...
4th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:27 p.m. The rail-drawn THE GIRL HERSELF (American Pharoah) gets her career started. Todd Pletcher also saddled the Michael Tabor colorbearer's half-sister Circular Quay (Thunder Gulch) to a win in the 2006 GI Hopeful S. and runner-up finish in that term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. The Girl Herself worked a four-furlong bullet in :49 (1/13) at Palm Beach Downs Apr. 5. Nikki and Papa (Mineshaft) takes on maidens for the first time after a pair of graded attempts, including a third-place finish after ducking...
Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency WELL-BRED CURLIN FILLY DEBUTS AT OAKLAWN 5th-OP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, f, 6f, 3:41p.m. Steve Asmussen unveils a blue-blooded filly in Hill 'n' Dale and Stretch Run homebred CASUAL (Curlin). Out of MGISW and millionaire Lady Tak (Mutakddim), the chestnut is a half-sister to SW & GSP Japanese runner and millionaire A Shin Spartan (Zensational and SW Melody Lady (Unbridled's Song), who is the dam of SW & GSP Buy Sell Hold (Violence). TJCIS PPs PLETCHER UNVEILS EXPENSIVE LIAM'S MAP 8th-GP, $45K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1mT,...
After suffering the first loss of his young career last time, Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) will try to get back in the winner's circle Saturday in the inaugural Oaklawn S. The $1-million KEESEP buy opened his account with a trio of victories, including the GII Los Alamitos Futurity S. Dec. 7 and the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 1. The bay suffered his first loss at the hooves of his stablemate Authentic (Into Mischief) last time in the GII San Felipe S. Mar. 7. Steve Asmussen sends out...
On Mar. 19, the New York Racing Association suspended racing for an undetermined period after a backstretch worker tested positive for COVID-19, which left New York horsemen scrambling to adjust and come up with Plan B for themselves, their horses and their staff. Nine days later--following the announcement that Aqueduct had been approved as a temporary hospital site--NYRA announced that the rest of the Aqueduct winter meet would be canceled and the Ozone Park oval would not host its traditional spring meet, headlined by the GII Wood Memorial S. "On...
Todd Pletcher, who had a string of 15 straight titles ended last year, returned to the top of the Gulfstream Park trainer's standings when the Championship Meet concluded in Hallandale Sunday. Pletcher finished with a seven-win cushion over Mike Maker, 48-41. "We had a good run, missed it last year, but happy to get it back this year. I'm proud of the whole team. They did a great job," Pletcher said. "We were able to have a lot of maiden winners so, hopefully, we can continue to develop some of...
9th-Gulfstream, $44,000, Alw (NW1$X)/Opt. Clm ($75,000), 3-27, 3yo, 1m, 1:35.30, ft. MONEY MOVES (c, 3, Candy Ride {Arg}--Citizen Advocate {MSW & GSP, $327,450}, by Proud Citizen), a debut winner sprinting in the slop here Feb. 15, handled the stretch out to a mile successfully Friday while besting a salty bunch in the process. Attending the pace along the fence through splits of :23.04 and :45.66, he opened a narrow advantage at the top of the lane as 'TDN Rising Star' and fellow second timer Edge of Fire (Curlin) revved up...